The Witching Hour
by purpleflavour
Summary: AU. A series of violent deaths seem to coincide with the return of a boy from Yukio's memories. Yukio is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, but is the question really as simple as 'who did it? /YukioRin, notslash


**summary:** AU. In a time where non-human creatures such as demons, fairies, and witches are hunted ruthlessly, a series of violent deaths seem to coincide with the return of a boy from Yukio's memories. With suspicions and fear of the supernatural running rampant, Yukio is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery before anyone else dies, but is the question really as simple as 'who did it'? /YukioRin, notslash

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><p>It was a normal day.<p>

The sun was shining brightly while the clouds tumbled in the blue skies, fluffy and white, drifting in the wind without a hint of gray to mar their purity. Only a light cooling breeze signaled the coming of winter. It was a perfectly normal day for All Hallow's Eve. Just a little too perfect, but no one had the time to complain; small people bustled in the streets on errands, and tiny figures far away on the fields worked diligently to prepare for the harvest.

All of this Yukio observed from his seat by the window in his classroom while the teacher droned on and on. It seemed a waste for such a beautiful afternoon, but the new school system in place assured that every child living in the village had a proper education with a proper teacher.

In his defense, none of his other classmates seemed to he paying attention either. With the exception of the few students sitting in the front row scribbling in their notebooks ad the teacher continued the lesson, no one was paying any attention. Some were slouched over their desks, sleeping with quiet snores. Others were chatting between themselves, not at all cowed by the exasperated glares the teacher shot at them periodically. After a while, she gave up on trying to get her students to pay attention; everyone was feeling either lethargic or restless, cooped up in a cramped room on such a fine day. Seated alphabetically in one of the larger classes with twenty-two students, Yukio - student number nineteen - could not even see the teacher behind some of the taller students in front of him as he was one of the three people relegated to the back row. Even with such a large, rowdy group of children ranging from ages eight to fourteen, not one of them appeared to be eager to cause mischief for the teacher today.

Yukio wasn't one to normally cause trouble, or want any trouble to begin with, but right at that moment, he would give anything for something interesting to happen...

"How are you this fine afternoon, madam?" A jovial voice greeted from the door. Peeking his head into the room was a pale man with a charming smile, wearing an extravagant costume much too expensive for a visit to the local school.

The teacher turned her head with a reprimand that died in her throat. The piece of chalk writing neat loops stopped abruptly on the board. "M-Mr. Mephistopheles, sir," she stammered with a fierce blush, lowering her hand and unconsciously smoothing out her skirt, unaware of the smears of white dust she left on her clothing. She licked her lips. "I-I'm very well, sir. What brings you here today?" Murmurs circulated through the classroom and suddenly everyone was wide awake and eagerly leaning out of their seats. Apparently, the last time their eccentric - but quite handsome, if the teacher's reactions were to be considered as the standard - principal visited, he brought enough candy for the whole class to each have a handful. Unfortunately for Yukio, he was sick that day with the fever and hadn't been able to make it to school.

And it seemed that day hadn't been an exception as Mr. Mephistopheles reached behind him and pulled out a rather large satchel, giving it a teasing shake. "Hmm, I wonder what's in here," he pondered, placing the bag onto one of the empty tables in the front row. "Perhaps someone should come up and find out."

It was as if he had just spoken the magic word that released a spell that kept the students stuck in their seats as Yukio's classmates scrambled out of their chairs, crowding around the bag of sweets that was torn open under grabbing hands. Out of the throng of bodies, Yukio caught a glimpse of Mr. Mephistopheles speaking quietly to their teacher, whose mouth stretched into a tight smile at his words.

Slowly, everyone returned to their seat with some piece of candy in their hands - Yukio munched happily into his bar of chocolate he filched near the end of the rush - and Mr. Mephistopheles bid the class goodbye he with a jaunty wave.

The teacher returned to the lesson with a brisk snap of her fingers that caught everyone's attention. However, most began to lose interest in the class and drifted off to their previous activities, fully distracted by their treats.

Only Yukio seemed to notice classmate number twenty-three taking a seat quietly beside him.

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><p><strong>an**: aaaand I'm back with an actual plot. hurrah.  
>(just watch me not finish this fic again shot)


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